Best luxury SUVs...

[Holli82]

Look at Volvo XC60 R type

 

[XV-1]

Last year when we were on holidays in the US we hired a Lincoln MKX SUV. Beautiful car. A lot better than our Mazda CX-9.

 

[KeithR]

She ended up purchasing the SQ5- very impressive CUV with excellent handling and speed. New for 2014, so not many on the road.

 

[Elberoth]

Congrats ! The 2014 models, with the new headlights and rears, look stunning IMO.

I'm just in the process of retrofiting those into my wife's 2010 Q5.

 

[Elberoth]

Forbes: Audi Q5 Diesel as #1 Luxury car buy

http://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2013/10/08/the-best-luxury-car-buys-of-the-year/

The Best Luxury Car Buys
1. Audi Q5 Diesel
Total Cost of Ownership: $57,315 MSRP: $50,000
Depreciation: $22,293
Taxes/Fees: $3,463
Fuel: $11,967
Insurance: $8,125
Maintenance: $4,616
Opportunity Costs: $694
Repairs: $3,248

In fact, the Audi Q5 SUV ranked No. 1 on this year’s list of the most affordable luxury cars on the market today, and the brand lodged three models out of the top 10 that made the cut. They and a few other imports (think along the lines of Acura and Mercedes) join American newcomers like the Cadillac SRX and Chevrolet Corvette as the luxury cars with the best overall value on sale this year.

Here’s some good news for eco-minded SUV lovers: Executives at Audi confirmed today that they will begin selling the tiny Q3 SUV in the United States within the next year.

 

[KeithR]

Just for you Elberoth

 

[Elberoth]

Congrats !

 

[Namaste]

You guys are lucky that cars are so cheap in your part of the world. In most parts of Asia, expect to pay the following prices: Q5 from USD110k, Cayenne from USD180k, ML350 from usd180k, Touareg from USD135k!

 

[amirm]

Indeed. I am always shocked how much cars cost overseas. I was in a *Taxi* in Amsterdam (?) that was S-series Mercedes and I was horrified when the guy told me how much it cost! I asked him how he could justify it as use for taxi and he said something but I don't recall it making sense (language barrier). I think he said a bunch of the premium was import taxes.

 

[JackD201]

200% is not unheard of.

 

[amirm]

200% is not unheard of.

That's brutal....

 

[Namaste]

In some countries, it can go up to 300%!!! The countries that do this are either very corrupt or they are trying to control the number of vehicles from the roads.

 

[Elberoth]

Belive it or not, I paid $110k for my S5 over here ... almost twice the US price. And if you go to Norway or Denmark, the price would be $200k.

 

[Namaste]

That is outrageous!

 

[JackD201]

Adam, tell them what Petrol costs in Scandinavia!

 

[MasterChief]

Adam, tell them what Petrol costs in Scandinavia!

Here in Sweden it is around 2 dollar per litre and that is about 7,57 dollar per gallon.

The car prices is far lower in Sweden than in Denmark and Norway, thank god

 

[garylkoh]

Indeed. I am always shocked how much cars cost overseas. I was in a *Taxi* in Amsterdam (?) that was S-series Mercedes and I was horrified when the guy told me how much it cost! I asked him how he could justify it as use for taxi and he said something but I don't recall it making sense (language barrier). I think he said a bunch of the premium was import taxes.

One of the most expensive places to own a car is Singapore (congested roads, small land area to build more). So, the government imposes a 20% customs duty on the value, plus a 7% VAT on CIF value. To use it on Singapore roads, you need to pay an "additional registration fee" that is up to 180%.

Since the Singapore government restricts new cars on the road, there is a limited number of cars that can be sold. This is regulated by a "Certificate of Entitlement" or COE. You need to bid for one and win before you can even buy a car. The current price for a COE is about US$75,000.

You also pay an annual road tax on the vehicle based on engine capacity. The 3.6l Audi I used to own cost me about US$1,800 a year.

The Audi S5 just mentioned would cost about US$375,000 in Singapore. That's one of the reasons why hifi is a cheap hobby in comparison.

 

[Dimfer]

if regular employees in those places mentioned make US$300k per year, then the prices mentioned will be considered reasonable